Fig. 4. Histochemistry of remodeled myocardium. Masson’s trichrome staining and immunohistochemical stainings for α- and β-myosin heavy chain (α- and β-MHC), N-cadherin, and desmin were used to visualize macroscopic and ultrastructural changes in remodeled hearts. Representative sham-operated hearts 6 weeks after operation are shown on the left ( A ), and postinfarct remodeled hearts 6 weeks after ligation are shown on the right ( B ). Note the spherical shape of the remodeled hearts with infarct wall thinning and ventricular dilatation in contrast to the ellipsoid shape of the sham-operated hearts. Transverse sections were prepared from tissue taken at the midpapillary level. The fluorescence intensity was increased in the remodeled myocardium for β-MHC, N-cadherin, and desmin but markedly reduced for α-MHC. N-cadherin was accumulated at intercalated disks ( arrowhead ) in remodeled myocardium. Bar represents distance of 50 μm.